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Mrs Nesisa Mpofu

Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council has announced the appointment of two new directors to head the Housing and Community Services as well as Health Services departments.

BCC’s Senior Public Relations Officer, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, said Mr Dictor Khumalo (51) had been appointed the Director of Housing and Community Services while Dr Edwin Sibanda (50) would be the Director of Health Services.

She said the appointments are with effect from October 1.

“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise residents and stakeholders of the City of Bulawayo on the appointments that have been made in council. With effect from the 1st of October 2017, the Director of Housing and Community Services is Mr Dictor Khumalo and the Director of Health Services is Dr Edwin Sibanda,” she said.

“Please note that Dr Sibanda’s promotion is further subject to approval by the Minister of Health and Child Care in terms of section 134 (1) of the Urban Councils Act [chapter 29.15] and section 7 of the Public Health Act [ Chapter 15.09 ] l. Council is currently awaiting the Minister’s response,” said Mrs Mpofu.

The BCC interviewed 13 candidates in June to fill the two posts that fell vacant following the retirement of Dr Zanele Hwalima as Health Services director as well as the death of Mr Isaiah Magagula who was the Housing and Community Services director.

Dr Hwalima retired in September last year while Mr Magagula died a few days before his retirement in January.

The new housing director, Mr Khumalo joined the BCC in 1991 as a Town Planner and from 1994 to 1997 he served as the Senior Town Planner. From 1997 to 2006 he was the city’s Principal Town Planner.

Before the latest appointment, Mr Khumalo had been the Assistant Director of Housing and Community Services.  The new health services director, Dr Sibanda worked at Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals and later joined the Zimbabwe National Army, where he left in 2001 as a Senior Medical officer.

He joined the City of Bulawayo as a contract medical officer in 2002 before leaving the following year to run a full time private medical practice. He later re-joined Bulawayo City Council in 2009 as a Clinical Medical Officer.

Prior to his appointment as the Director of Health Services, Dr Sibanda had been the Assistant Director of Health Services (personal Health), a position he held from 2014.

@winnie_masara